The War of Four: Aftermath
Act 1 A Moment of Rest, A Life of Peace Only a couple of months had passed since the war with the Inner Circle, and Empresa seemed to have gone back to it's every day routine. A true testament to the technological capabilities of the Gotei 13's Research Division, the damage done by Aizen's forces had all but been completely rectified within just a couple of hours. No one could be more happy for this than Coyote Starrk. He lay calmly asleep on a bed in the Primera's quarters, his shoes on the floor beside it. Aside from the apparent memory loss that he had suffered while battling with Aizen, he appeared to have not changed in the slightest. For some this might be an annoyance, but surely for most, it couldn't have been any more preferable. At the very least, the Primera herself was glad he could find the ability to rest. Prior to this particular moment, she and her parents had to deal with unrest due to the monarch trio's sudden absence from Hueco Mundo. She, in particular, made a sincere apology announcement to the residents of the neighboring cities who had to deal with Aizen's forces by themselves, congratulated them for surviving and made a vow to never leave the side of her people again. It would put a damper on the next time the Soul Society wanted to pull an evacuation of Empresa. But she would gladly take that chance. Over the couple of months, Casilda and Starrk had interacted with each other more closely. It had taken a while for them to get around. But eventually, they had gotten closer to one another. Eventually, the item that was the current Primera and the former Primera was quick to spread in the higher ranks. Although everyone kept quiet about it, the Espada didn't seem too keen on letting Casilda be. Nicolao teased her about it on occasion, Bernabe grumbled about her being unable to focus on her duties due to being distracted by the "lazy hobo", and Loly made it a necessity to taunt her with rather lewd jokes. Still, they tolerated the new relationship to varying degrees and didn't mind Starrk's influence. In the last few weeks, however, the two had allowed themselves to become intimate as of recent... and in the recent days, Casilda had begun to show signs. Firstly, there was the fatigue, which wasn't helped by the amount of work she had to tend to. It got to the point where she had both Findorr and Bernabe take over active positions of leadership so that she could rest properly. Secondly, there were moments in where she found herself nauseous and even throwing up, and it wasn't uncommon for her to abruptly leave a meeting just so that she could relieve her stomach. When her subordinate heard of this, he insisted that she rest herself in the belief that there was some sort of illness. Even Casilda hadn't completely had an idea of what was happening just yet. But she was patient. She could wait it out until she got an opportunity to visit the doctors. In the meantime, she would spend her time with Starrk. "Note to self... don't do paperwork when you're about to collapse..." She muttered, walking quietly into her room. She was in her own sleep attire: a set of white floral pajamas designed with a subtle flair of elegance. As her bare feet treaded the floor, she took note of Starrk's sleeping form. Up to this point, she had been envying his ability to find sleep even in circumstances of recovery. But now, her road was clear and it was time for her to join him. A small smile crossed her face as she approached, and she resisted the urge to chuckle when she saw him roll on his side. He was such a heavy sleeper when he wanted to be, and like her, it was nearly impossible to wake him. It was a perfect scene for what she would do. When she was close enough, she climbed onto the bed and lowered herself close. With the stealth and precision of a ninja, she slid herself underneath an arm with just enough contact to get his (unfocused) attention. Then, she slowly turned herself so that she was facing his chest, sliding an arm around his waist in a light hug. A soft sigh escaped her as she snuggled up to him, his warmth a pleasing relief to her from the day's stress. A second or two after she had did this, Starrk's eye slowly cracked open and glanced down at the resting Casilda. He couldn't help but smile and let out a single chuckle at her precision and stealthiness, finding her way through his slumbering defenses without instantly waking him. The arm that she slid under slightly tightened to hold her closer to him in a comforting matter; he knew all too well that she hadn't been feeling good as of late, and while he often didn't show it to others outwardly, he was likely more concerned for her than any of the others. "Good to know I'm not the only lazy bum around here." ''he thought to himself light-heartidly. While he may have been considered an equal in the eyes of many, Starrk rarely did anything to contribute to the Espada Afilado and their cause. But what could he honestly do to assist them aside from combat situations? He felt as if he were seen more as an honored associate, a title that he certainly wasn't proud of, and used more of a symbol rather than a contributor. In his eyes, if this meant that he didn't have to do anything really exerting and could just spend time with the Primera (unless she personally required his aid), he wouldn't complain. He exhaled lightly through his nose, calmly snuggling his chin on her head smoothly as he spoke. "Sounds like you had a good day... again." "Oh, you know me too well..." Casilda murmured, taking in a deep breath before sighing again. "You'd think that after everything that's happened, paperwork would be the last of my concerns. But Hana and I still had to make sure the terms of our Alliance are binding, and apparently there's no other way to set it in stone. Next time, I'm just going to have Calius do it..." She closed her eyes. "Right now, I just want to get some sleep while I still can." To this, Starrk's arm pulled itself back slightly onto her hip, a physical indication to show her what he was referring to when he continued to speak. "Speaking of which... you're not feeling much better, are you?" he questioned with quiet concern. He knew what her problem was, but he did his best not to mention it to her for care of what it could do to her already high levels of stress. "You really do need to let Findor handle that office work stuff while you rest up. He's good at it, and it's not going to make things any easier for you if you just keep trying to do it on your own." A groan of mild aggravation came from her. "Do you have to be such a nag?" She complained, her arm squeezing him momentarily. "Findorr's been breathing the same stuff down my back as it is. Nevertheless," She sighed, her breath gently gracing Starrk's chest. "You do have a point. I need to take time for myself, time to get it together. Though I'm going to have to go to see Nicolao, have the doctors figure out just why I've gotten around to feeling like dead weight recently..." She let out a soft whine, almost humorously nuzzling her capture's front. "Coyote, I feel awful~!" ''"Guess that answers that question." ''Starrk thought with humor, a sweatdrop appearing on the back of his head as Casilda buried her face into his chest. For him to see the usually stoic and proud Primera in such an adorably vulnerable and pitiful state was quite an honor for him, as he doubted that she normally let anybody else see her act in such a way. Humbled, he gently but playfully ruffled her hair, chuckling lightly. "There there queen bee; you're in the wolves den now. A little stomach growling won't kill ya..." Casilda stopped nuzzling him, looking up at him with a pout. "Normally, hearing that would be the reason to keep a gun underneath the pillow." She said, before closing her eyes again. "But I guess you're right. I've been threatened by far worse. This is nothing I can't get over... at least, with the help of Nicolao. Now, sssh! I'm sleepin'." The last two sentences were said with a humorously stern tone. "Fine, fine." Starrk relented with a humored scoff, continuing to hold her close in a compassionate manner. "Come to think of it... i could use some sleep too..." Memories of Blood: The Prodigal Daughter Returns! "...so we can agree that somewhere along the way, Buddha decided to give me the middle finger. Good, glad we've established that." In a room within the barracks of the 2nd Division, Brina McTavish was sitting on her bed and giving a glare to the mirror facing her from a distance away. In replacement of the outfit she had worn while she was in the Inner Circle's care, she was back in the standard Punishment Force's uniform - something she had never expected herself to don again. There were a few difference from the standard one, as hers was sleeveless and sported a hood. But she also knew that she was going to have to get used to it. Soon after the war had officially ended, she had decided to stick with her master and the grandmaster of the Onmitsukidō rather than retreat to the depths of the Inner Circle. Her subordinate Kumiko took over for leadership, while she was reinstated into the 2nd Division. It was a surprising development, but one she could accept nonetheless due to the fact that it was a request from her former master. There was only one downside that had been hooked onto her ever since. She was now at the position of 3rd Seat - the very same position she had repeatedly mocked Sazuke for. Right now, she was directing her gripes to a bengal cat that was using her shoulders for a couch. "Not only am I a ''3rd Seat," She ranted, glaring at the mirror and partially throwing her hands up. "But I'm also a 3rd Seat... under Tensai. Bet she's just sitting up in her room, laughing her steroid-drunk bum off! Oh, I can just hear her now." She did a mock impression of Sasuke's voice. "Hello, Brina! Or should I call you 3rd Seat? It's funny because you used to call me 3rd Seat all the time, even when I was a Captain! But who's laughing now, you lazy sack of swine crap?" She let out a loud groan, slapping her face to her palms. "A subordinate to her... and I'm not even a right-hand anymore. This bites more than a rabid dog..." She sighed, lowering her hands to her lap and looking at her animal companion. "What do you think of all this, Cheshire? Surely, there's an opinion going on within that head of yours." The said Cheshire said nothing, but looked around a few times before reaching over to place a paw on Brina's nose. In response, she scrunched up her face - something that only increased when the cat started pawing at it. "No, stop it. I didn't say you could boop me. Chessy. Stahp it." "...oh boy, you're looking a little too much like mom now." Crouched inside the still of Brina's window was a young girl, appearing to be in her early to mid teens. She was wearing a special punishment corps outfit, with some features befitting that of a samurai, such as armor plates on her chest, shoulders and legs. She had black hair and fair black eyes, the former of which was kept in a light ponytail. Her expression was one of curiosity, but also one of slight worry, as implied by her previous sentence. "Next thing I know, you're gonna be building friggin' shrines to that cutie and calling it senpai." "!" Needless to say, Brina had not expected the likes of a visitor to appear. She jolted up a little, causing the cat to stop "booping" her and look over at the "intruder". However, it didn't take her long for her to come down from her surprise, as she realized just who it was. To be fair, she had only heard of the girl through reports from the Inner Circle and never actually met her in person. But at least she knew enough to have a bit of ground. The girl's name was Bei-Feng, and she just happened to be the daughter of her master and the apprentice of Sazuke. Much to her amusement, the girl was also the new Lieutenant of the 2nd Division, meaning that she was her second superior to deal with. At the very least, they were just meeting one another in recent times. So there wasn't much history to worry about as far as personal relations went. She could get along with the girl better than Sazuke, at least. She gave a humored scoff as she looked over at Bei-Fēng, with Cheshire sliding off of her shoulders and onto the bed. "What, does she actually do that?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow in genuine wonder. "You've no idea." the girl responded with a deadpan stare and tone. "I've gotten to where hearing 'Yoruichi-sama' is like one of those things where you hear a really annoying song that gets stuck in your head; it sucks." She glanced down at the floor briefly before sliding onto it's surface with her feet, fluidly moving her shoes off of her feet and wearing just her socks, before calmly sitting on the bed across from Brina. She crossed her legs and placed her arms on her knees, staring over at Brina in an almost analytical fashion. Her expression, while being what one might consider staring too much, was actually one of genuine curiosity; she didn't seem to have any sort of negative feelings towards Brina at this point, but it'd be safe to say that she wanted to hear about one of her mother's darkest individuals from none other than Brina herself. "So... you're the one mom and Sazuke told me so much about." she quipped, finishing her deduction and leaning back slightly. "Brina McTavish, right?" A smile crossed Brina's face at the revelation of her identity. She folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head to the side in a slight gesture of playfulness. "The one and only." She answered, taking a moment to look over the younger girl. "And from what sources tell me, you must be Bei-Fēng... the beloved daughter of Master and apprentice of 3rd Sea--" She caught herself before she finished the jab towards Sazuke, once again reminded of her own position. The memory slightly soured her expression and tone, and she corrected herself with contained irritation. "The Captain." "Heh, I guess irony really can be a bitch sometimes, huh?" Bei-Feng giggled with amusement. She knew Brina's history, of course, but it became a rather amusing twist to Brina's fate that she and Sazuke had almost entirely swapped places since her great defection. Although she was doing her best not to sound offensive when she giggled, the impression would be faint enough just for one such as Brina to catch onto. "Well I guess since you know who I am... there isn't really much point in me giving you an "official" greeting into the Stealth Force... and that's especially true since you were a part of it way before me..." Despite her irritation, Brina still managed a smirk in her direction. "And yet you're the Lieutenant now, the Captain's right hand." She commented. Although her tone was jocular, there was also a subtle dose of compliment within. "I guess that in terms of relationship, that's fair. I don't think she'd live if she had me as her assistant." Her smirk changed to a pleased and mischievous smile. "Not to say that her life isn't going to be a living Hell with that closed gap, anyway. She thinks I was insubordinate under Master's rule? Oh, I hope she learns to savor the taste of her own words soon enough." At this point, Cheshire had moved towards Bei-Feng and began the notion of rubbing up against her back, continuously purring as it did so. Its owner continued talking, idly taking notice of the pet's actions. "But enough about me. What brings you to my humble abode, ma'am?" "Ma'am? Heh, that's a first." Bei-Feng smiled at hearing her honorific, even if it was just a jocular one. Since her ascension to Vice Captain, she had never really received such a title from any of the officers under her or Sazuke's command. Maybe they didn't feel she was yet worthy of the title, or maybe they just didn't feel the need to do so at all; she had only gotten the position a few days ago. Regardless, it was a pleasant thing for her young ears to hear, especially from one she had heard so much about. "Heh, you don't have to call me that you know..." she began, a slight tint of pink in her cheeks as she went on. "I'd like to at least make one other friend aside from Sazuke. Everyone else here tries to just avoid me, though I don't think it's out of neglect, more like caution... and that really sucks for a newbie in the VC spot, you know what I mean?" "They avoid you?" Brina repeated, her smile fading from subdued incredulity. "Well, that's a bit of surprising information. I mean, they have more reason to avoid me than you, all things considering. I mean, you seem like a nice enough girl to easily make pals. But if that's the case, it can't be helped." With a carefree motion, she flopped herself down onto her bed and folded her hands behind her head. "From here on out, we are officially friends!" With a satisfied and almost devilish smile, she raised a finger to point at the younger girl. "And if you are capable of messing with Tensai at least on occasion just for kicks, then you'll receive a special promotion to biffles." While at first she blinked with quiet confusion at Brina's sudden willingness to be friends, she had to smile as well at the same time. "That quickly huh?" she continued, happily petting Cheshire's head and back. "I guess you really do know all there is about me if you think we're so compatible right off of the bat..." Her attention was quipped further when Brina mentioned messing with Sazuke, before she donned a similarly devilish expression in return. "Oh, trust me, I have her already on the ropes about what she wears around me. One time she was in that skin tight uniform she likes wearing and I accidentally said 'I'd tap that', as soon as I saw her. She made me run for the rest of the day." she finished with a sweat drop on the back of her head. Brina did a double-take, her eyes widened to entertained surprise. "Oh my Spirit King, are you joking?!" She exclaimed, the biggest grin on her face as she looked at Bei-Feng. She couldn't keep the laughter from seeping into her voice. "You actually said that?! Oh, how I would have loved to see the expression on her face when you said that!" Her hands moved up to her face, covering her eyes and keeping her smile. "But trust me, that's nothing compared to what happened when I'' said it - and purposefully, I might add. She clotheslined me off the top of Sokyoku Hill and into the forest below. That was when we were on opposite sides of the spectrum in the war, mind you." "Somehow I feel the reaction would be worse if you did it now as opposed to then." Bei-Feng giggled, covering her mouth slightly as she did so. While she was still trying to contain herself, she also took the chance to look around at the room Brina occupied. "Oh boy... I can already tell that you and me are gonna get along just fine... you'll be calling me biffles in no time." she finished with a chuckle. "Good to hear." The brown-haired woman said, sliding her hands behind her head and crossing her legs. She idly took notice of Cheshire as she moved towards her, climbing onto her and laying on her stomach. "Anything else you'd like me to hear? Updates, recent issues, some punk that needs to get quelled in the Maggot's Nest?" "Nah, not really. I mean, there are plenty down there that could use a little beating, but it'd be pointless for the time being." Bei-Feng responded, popping her neck into place slightly. "I just wanted to check and see how the new third seat is doing; I had a feeling coming back here after all that had... happened, before would be awkward and you could use a friendly face. But you seem to have it down pad." Here was where a flicker of bitterness flashed within those blue eyes of Brina's. Although there was still humor in her chuckle, there was also a subtle hint of sourness that could be picked up. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to face the sky. "Oh, how I wish that were the case." She said softly. "You just caught me by my lone self. Outside of that, it hasn't been so nice. Thanks to the method of "resignation" I used before, just about each and every Onmitsukidō underling's been glaring holes into me from day in to day out. Not that I wasn't expecting it, but it doesn't exactly make things more comfortable. In addition, I've been doing some thinking about earlier interactions, and... let's just say I'm not a big fan of Boss Lady Yoruichi now." "Oh? What do you mean?" Bei-Feng asked in response, blinking a couple of times. "You don't have to worry about offending me or anything like that; I'm no where nearly as infatuated with her as mom is, so you can tell me what's up if you want." Brina remained silent for only a brief moment, letting out a heavy sigh and giving herself a moment to conjure up her thoughts. What had come into question was a sensitive subject for her, especially considering it involved her at one of her weakest moments. By telling this girl, she would be entrusting a part of herself to her. Although she seemed friendly enough, she was still the Captain's Lieutenant and could take anything said here back to their mutual superior. She would be making a risk, and only Izanami knew what the consequences were. Slowly, she allowed herself to sit up, with the cat hopping back onto the bed again. Her gaze was firm and serious as it looked over at the Lieutenant, matching the tone of her voice. "I'll tell you," She said, raising a palm towards the balcony. With a concentrated use of energy, the balcony doors were sealed shut and the curtains swooped to keep the inside from being viewed. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone else, especially to none of the higher-ups. That includes Yoruichi and Master." Bei-Feng simply nodded her head in response, acknowledging the closing of the window and doors. "I'm all ears and no talk." "All right..." With a somewhat heavier heart and a sudden desire to have a sake cup in hand, Brina told her story. "It was in the midst of war, a time not too long after Yoruichi revealed to both Sazuke and I she was alive and well. The three of us were in a tent discussing how to deal with the remaining enemy forces... or at least, we tried to. It didn't help that prior to our meeting, there was a scuffle between me and the Captain... which she sadly interrupted." She averted her gaze away from her Lieutenant. "Sore as I am about that, it isn't the reason. I was trying to be the nice girl, trying to lighten up the mood and get them to relax. But it seemed like Tensai was on her period. Every other word to me was either a hostile or smart-aleck remark. She wasn't even trying to get over herself. So eventually, I got fed up and tried to shoot back at her..." The fingers on her lap tightened, and her expression tensed with anger. "And that was when Boss jumped in. Despite every scathing insult that came from Sazuke, she did nothing. Yet here I was trying to defend myself, and she goes about and threatens me for it! All the meanwhile, Sazuke was ''still handing out jabs! It was as if Yoruichi had suddenly turned deaf towards her or something! For a grandmaster of the Onmitsukidō, she seemed real insistent on coddling that condescending pig!" The last words of her sentences were said with a particularly vicious tone, and by the time she had finished, her hands were quivering slightly out of her fury. "Huh..." This was Bei-Feng's only response, at least for the first few seconds tha followed after some silence. For all she knew, this could have simply been a petty attempt at self defense on Brina's part; she had heard a much different point of view from her Captain, and her mother rarely talked of it too. And aside from her mother's stories and teachings, she hadn't made any notable contact with Yoruichi since the war... but hearing Brina's angered retelling of events clearly did more than just cause her to ponder the true nature of the event. "... well, that certainly sounds like Sazuke." she finally let out, exhaling slightly and crossing her arms, staring up at the ceiling as she was still in thought. "Dedicated but unwilling to let things go... you would think after the war things would lighten up and bridges could be rebuilt and all that..." she closed her eyes and turned her head back down to face Brina's direction. "Have things between you and her, Yoruichi included, soothed out any?" Brina closed her eyes and let out a harsh sigh through the nose, trying to calm herself down. "I don't really know about me and Yoruichi." She muttered. "She doesn't exactly know how thoughtful I've been of that encounter. But as for Tensai?" She gave a derisive snort. "Hah. As if that would ever happen. The only thing I'd get from her is the usual, just as I've always gotten from her. She's gotten a kick out of spitting on me so much, it's like second nature to her. Hell would rise to the surface before we'd patch things up." "Well, y'never know." Bei-Feng responded with a nervous, yet light-hearted smile. "Time can heal a lot of wounds... I mean, look at-" before she would go on, however, she would cut herself off. She was dangerously close to mentioning the old conflict between Brina and Sui-Feng that happened all those years ago. For now, she had already delved too far into the past that the mood was somewhat uncomfortable as it was, so she knew it'd be best to not go any further. "In any case, I'm glad to see that you're settling in alright." "Although it's not to the level of "alright" I would go for," The brown-haired woman replied, closing her eyes and once again flopping on the bed with her back. Her arms were folded across her chest, and her gaze was towards the sky. "I guess I have to count my blessings. But thanks for your appreciation." She tilted her head to the side so that she could look over at the Lieutenant, her hair scattered around her. "Sure I'm not needed for any official business? Maybe one of the higher-ups requested me for something you happened to forget about?" "Nah." The Vice Captain replied casually, shifting forward and backwards idly as she continued. "Even if there was something I forgot about, Sazuke would just do it anyway, and twice as fast too. I'm a bit of a lazy-wart sometimes..." finally she got up to her feet and began to walk back towards the window, slipping her shoes back on as she did so. "It's been nice catching up with you Brin-Brin." she said with a smile, putting her legs outside of the window and sitting on the sill again before looking back at her. "Can't wait to hang out with you more~!" she finished before hopping outside of the window and into the barracks below. "A charming kid." As she retreated out from the window, Brina allowed herself to chuckle. In contrast to Sazuke, she believed that she would get along with the Lieutenant just fine. Of course, there may be the possibility that the Captain could accuse her of polluting the young girl's mind. But she would just have to cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she would allow herself to relax as much as she could while no one found reason to bother her. She hoped Bei-Feng's visits came often; now that she found herself to get along with the girl, she at least had a friend of her own to hang out with. She closed one eye and moved her head slightly as Cheshire nuzzled her face, laughing quietly. "She may be a charming kid," She said, reaching over to scratch one of the cat's ears. "But she's got nothing on you." As the Lieutenant would land into the confines of the barracks, one person in particular seemed to stand in front of her. She wore a white Haori, the symbol of the 2nd Division emblazoned upon its back, her hair done in a high-rised ponytail. Her normal bodysuit was replaced with the executive attire, normally accustomed by those with the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō. Her eyes were drawn to Bei-Feng, an expectant smile drawn across her face, complemented by a methodical tap of her right foot along with a cross of her arms over her chest. "Lieutenant," Sazuke said in a crisp, yet not entirely unfriendly tone, "please escort Miss McTavish to my quarters. I need to see you both in less than five minutes." Turning on her heels, she left without any further dialogue, her person long gone to await them within her quarters. The moment Bei-Feng landed on her two feet and saw the figure in front of her, she seemed to freeze almost entirely. Her pupils dialated, her legs briefly quivered, and she didn't even look up at Sazuke's face; the white haori and the voice were all that she needed to know that her Captain had been out there. Whether or not she had been there the entire time or not was entirely irrelevant now, as Sazuke knew that she and Brina had met for the first time. "Christ, I've really done it now." ''the girl thought with fear and dread, comically sweating and waterfall like tears flowing from her closed eyes. ''"She's gonna yell at us or... or humiliate us or something... Bei-Feng you idiot! You should've been more careful!!" With a dreadful sigh, she picked herself back up and began to climb back up into Brina's room to give her the news. "So much for a long-lasting friendship..." ''she thought while doing so. ---- "You know, you two," Sazuke began to drawl on, her rump leaning against the top of her desk while her legs were crossed in sync with her arms, folded one over the other. As soon as they both entered the office and closed the door behind them, she had kept this posture, waiting for them to realize she had heard everything. A humored twitch was seen around her brow, indicating she wasn't entirely pleased what she heard either. "when you decide to gossip about the Captain of a Division, try not to do that when within hearing range of the barracks. It is usually unwise for you to especially talk about said Captain when she is the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō." "Honey, I thought we talked about this stalking thing..." The first response came from Brina, who had her arms folded across her chest and her back leaning against the wall. In contrast to whatever expression Bei-Feng probably had, hers was relaxed and casual. Blue eyes stared at Sazuke with blue eyes nearing indifference. "I know that you love me and all," She continued, throwing caution to the wind. "But I need my personal space, and you're kind of smothering me..." Following Brina's remark, Bei-Feng was on her knees, her hands placed over them in a typical position for a Stealth Force underling. She was far too intimidated of her Captain to say anything in protest, so she simply remained in silence, waiting for Sazuke's judgment. "It is my business to be aware what goes on in my Division. It was your poor judgement to let loose your lips so close to my garrison, McTavish, not mine," Sazuke countered with a pointed glare. She'd turn her gaze towards her subservient Lieutenant, briefly tunneling her loathing that she participated in a conversation about her superior in such a lax manner. This would recede as she let loose a sigh, her whole body releasing a great amount of tension from her person as she pushed off the desk. "Though, that isn't why I called you both here," Sazuke said pointedly, her stare now fixated strictly at Brina with a measure of dispassion yet all too serious. "I'll get straight to the point. Given your...part...in the war, and all that has happened, a great number of the Inner Circle were given amnesty in order to serve the Soul Society in any number of ways they can. Some have reformed their organization to do duties to help the Spiritual Realms and the Material World recover from its occupation and the destruction that has been let loose. Others are given the chance to join the DCO. I'm given you the ability to join the Onmitsukidō..." Crossing her arms, Sazuke said very bluntly, adding a smirk as she enunciated her title offer to her most loathed rival, "...as my 3rd Seat, head of the Detention Corps." "And ''there it is!" Already knowing what was going to happen to her didn't soothe it any. Brina's expression was quick to contort to one of anger, and she fixed a glare of clear irritation at the Captain. "So in other words, you're just here to gloat about our positions now." She summarized, pushing herself off of the wall and lowering her arms. "Just what I'd come to expect from you, Tensai. What," She cast a glance at the kneeling Bei-Feng. "Did you bring her here just so you can have an audience to laugh at my humiliation?" Bei-Feng simply remained silent; her loyalty to her Captain went as far as to never speak unless she was spoken to do otherwise, but the stress going through her head was enough to make her lips quiver slightly. She was regretting ever stepping foot into Brina's room. "No," Sazuke said it pointedly, crossing her arms while bringing a quiet glare down at Bei-Feng, "seeing as you're not surprised by this announcement, I can only assume my Lieutenant spoke too soon. A mistake, on her part, one of which she'll be reprimanded for at a later time. "Besides the point, I didn't do so to get under your skin," She continued, levelling a serious stare at her long time rival, "I did so for the purpose of you meeting your superiors. Barring the other Captains of the Gotei 13, the only ones higher ranked than you would be myself and Bei-Feng. Anyone beneath you are peers who should be respected but have no standing over you. Your authority also extends to the Maggot's Nest, as you become its overseer, ensuring that nothing terrible transpires there and that order is maintained among them. I am speaking with all seriousness and not with any form of jest, McTavish, please keep that in mind." As far as information went, this was stuff that Brina had already known of. She folded her arms across her chest and maintained a scrutinizing glare at the Captain as she went over the "refresher" for her position. The mention towards the Lieutenant caused her to cast blue eyes towards the young girl's bowing form, and she couldn't help but feel mildly insulted. To assume she was told by someone else instead of figuring it out for herself? It was probably unintentional, but she swore there was an insult thrown her way. Knowing Sazuke, "unintentional" probably wasn't the case. "Yeah, well, forgive me if I don't believe you right off the bat." She quipped, nodding her head towards Bei-Feng. "And you don't need to grill the Lieutenant for anything. I kinda figured it out for myself. With everything that transpired between us and how the war played out in terms of enemy and ally, how couldn't I? You really need to have a bit more faith in my intelligence, Sazuke." "I never doubted your intelligence, McTavish, just your maturity. In the way you've acted since our prior encounters you have always been guided by your hatred and your vehemence towards myself as well as my associates. I wanted this promotion, an offer I don't give out lightly, delivered in person by me," Sazuke enunciated in slow, hardened words as she didn't budge an inch to her sarcastically speaking former colleague. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned to the side in a presuming manner as she leaned her head back just enough to jut her chin out in her direction, "I know you still loathe me, McTavish. Quite frankly, I don't think too much of you either. But I do ''recognize someone who is capable. This isn't meant to subvert you under my authority. This is a means to bring you back into the fold and earn the respect you once had in this Division as well as the rest of the Gotei 13. If your standing as a loyal Soul Reaper for the betterment of the Soul Society ever meant anything to you, this is your best chance to prove that." "And I'll be glad to." Brina answered, her smooth tone hardening a little, as well. "But you and I both know that it's only going to carry so far. I devoted myself to the cause of Soul Society once before, and it nearly got one of the people I loved most killed. It was only by sheer luck and the grace of the gods that she's still with me. I'll tell you this: I'll be glad to play the good guy again and fall into everyone's good graces." She unfolded her arms, pointing a finger at Sazuke and putting forth a venom that could've burned through the likes of diamond. "But if you try to do what Master did, turn that loyalty against anyone else I adore? I'll hunt you down, bleed you out, drag you to Tendan and let the streets take care of you. I refuse to do something like that again, consequences be damned." "Likewise," Sazuke responded in a crisp tone, "if you pose a threat to the safety and security of the Seireitei once more, I'll ensure that your end will be painful and more torturous than you can even conceive in that depraved mind of yours. I'll let you rot in Kaze's laboratory and let him tinker on your body, remodel you into a sick pet of his. Ensure that you remain loyal to your duties and I won't even consider putting you through what you've already endured or what you've yet to experience." Inhaling deeply, Sazuke exhaled out the mouth. Walking forward, she stood face to face with her rival and longtime nemesis. For awhile her eyes stared coldly into hers, holding the same mirrored loathing Brina held for herself. But then, it eventually defused into dispassionate indifference, as if it didn't matter at all. Then, a wry smile worked her way up on her face as she closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them once more, she reached out her hand to be clasped by her in open invitation, "Welcome back to the Stealth Force, Brina McTavish." There was a transition of Brina's expression, as well. For those few seconds, she held her rival's glare with her trademark amount of defiance. Then, and much to her surprise, she found her frown slowly turning into a smirk. There was so much nostalgia running through this very moment. Staring each other down had been made into a past time into particularly tense confrontations, and on occasions, their masters had to come in and break them up. Maybe there would be another chance to genuinely settle the score between the two, some chance to start the fight that Yoruichi had ended. But for now, she would gladly wait. She'd have her chance to finish what had been started in the war. The only regret was that killing was out of the question. A soft chuckle escaped her, and she reached out to clasp and shake Sazuke's hand. "Good to be back... ''Captain." She purred. "And I'm sure that at the end of the day, you will be singing the same tune..." "Hope she didn't forget to stock up on aspirin, because I am going to drain every bit of fun out of this that I can." Fourteen Ways to Kill Time On the formally criminal front that was V-14, things had taken a much more positive turn. After finally getting a chance to get together, they and the Gotei 13 signed an official contract that legalized the mercenaries. True to Kenja's word, their actions in the war had gotten them recognized as heroes of the people. The Seireitei was kind enough to give them their very own HQ complete with their personal accommodations. Notably, it was a bit expensive. But with leniency from the Gotei 13 and the organization's huge money score, they easily coped with the financial challenges. The stress that the war had given to them had been completely lifted from their shoulders. That lack of stress showed within their actions. "YOU TOUCHED MY CHESTICLES." "I'M SORRY, OKAY?!" "NO YOU'RE NOT!" "DON'T TELL ME WHETHER I'M SORRY OR NOT!" Asuka sat in her chair, her face held in her hands as she listened to an argument between Genesis and Yusuke. She had no idea how it happened, but the topic of choice involved Yusuke accidentally catching Genesis's front "assets". For whatever reason, the Daitenshi had decided to freak out, and now the both of them were going back and forth in a childish yet humorous manner. Beside her was an annoyed Shou, who was regarding it all with a priceless expression of deadpan. It was clear this wasn't the first time. "Children!" Kaitlyn snarled from another table. "I swear if you don't keep quiet, I will get out the paddle and come over there!" "But Mom~!" Genesis whined, holding her arms across her chest protectively. "He grabbed my chesticles~!" "It was an accident, you overreacting bimbo!" Yusuke yelled, throwing his fists in the air. "What did you call me?!" "I called you a fatass!" "I WILL KILL EVERYTHING YOU ENJOY!!" "Do you have to deal with this, Shou?" Asuka asked, her voice muffled by her hands. "Oh, unbelievably." Shou grumbled, giving a heavy sigh. "How her experiences in Hell never took away her more childish side, I'll never know." It was during the flurry of unintelligible shouts of crass nature that two people sat up from their own tables. Having taken the time to actually talk to each other about their own issues among the topics as of late, neither of them could hear over the sound of racket ensuing nearby. Two dark silhouettes strode wordlessly behind each arguing participant, with two pairs of hands -one gloved and the other calloused and bare- manhandled the scalps. "You're annoying," Shinshin said in a dry tone, as he easily used one hand to lift up Yusuke by his collar while using the other to pull his head back by his crop of black hair, "cease your idiocy and enjoy a drink." "Don't make me sit you next to your Commander," Shadō whispered, his imposing visage shrouded by a comically overblown aura of darkness that magnified his paled visage and yellow eyes that glared down at the Daitenshi within his grip, "or must I remind you your good behavior is the only thing keeping you here and not in a deep, dark, damned hole?!" "That was excessive," Shinshin said dryly with a stare at his compatriot. "You're right, I should have been more softspoken," Shadō said with an affirming nod, returning his gaze to Shinshin's. "How do you think I've kept someone like Zaii in line? I never raised my voice to them. That makes me look weaker when I shout," Shinshin explained as if it was an elementary manner. "Right," Shadō raised his free hand that wasn't gripping the Daitenshi's white scalp, gripping it with an audible crinkle of his leathern glove, "I'll make sure to be more active in my subtlety." "That's better," Shinshin said with a smile that matched Shadō's. Needless to say, the two victims weren't pleased with their situation. "Owowowowowow~!" Yusuke whined, his legs flailing in an attempt to get some ground or at least ease the discomfort of his hair being pulled. But against the samurai's grip, there was no use in comprised. "Leggo of me! This hurts, you know!" As best as he could, he swung his gaze to a now-grinning Asuka. "Boss, help me!" Asuka gave a halfhearted shrug. "I'm sorry, Yusuke. But it's out of my hands now." She said simply, reveling in the look of despair that her subordinate was giving her. Her face was a mask of innocence. "What could little old me do against two scary men like them?" "A lot!" The boy wailed, continuing to flail comically and helplessly. "Stop taking mental pictures and help me!" Although to a lesser degree than the "mortal", Genesis's senses didn't like the feeling of fingers roughly handling her scalp. But at the very least, she could take it without much complaint. In fact, she folded her arms across her chest and daringly spoke a quip. "Y'know," She said, looking over her shoulder at the dark entity. "When someone pulls my hair like this, it usually shows how bad they want it. I mean, I know I'm hot, but I'm not into the public watching, y'know?" "Genesis!" Shou gasped, mortified at what she said. "What? I'm not." "And here I thought we were going to get a show..." The Punisher's voice quipped from yet another table, earning a protesting look from her male subordinate. "Don't encourage her!!" "...I'm not sure what my feelings are doing right now." A disgruntled Oliver muttered, watching the whole scene with a mixture of bemusement and slight disgust. "Tch," Shadō hissed with disgust, releasing his hold on Genesis as he walked away with Shinshin, "your Spiritual Pressure makes me nauseous. I'd rather slit my own throat than remain in close contact with you." "Was that necessary?" Shinshin asked as they retreated to a darker corner of the bar. "It was," Shadō said with a darker tone. "Fair enough," Shinshin replied with a chuckle. "Mother," Mōka spoke in a terse tone, eyes half-lidded and glaring pointedly across from her forward left. She crossed her arms over her chest, now clothed in a casual sleeveless, short skirted crimson kimono with white borders etched into the fabric, "please keep yourself from becoming too intoxicated. I'd hate for you to cause a scene worse than the two children's-" "ANOTHER ROUND!" "-or the buffoons yonder," Mōka twitched, with closed eyes and furrowed brows. "You can nevah best the famous drink'ah of Tendan!" Shito cried out with a flushed expression, turning to his right to see the three seated men, Kenja, Zaii, and Anton. A large pint-sized mug was in his left hand while a row of bottles stacked in front of their counterspaces, with several empty and wet spots from their sloppy drinking. Shito himself was wearing a muscle shirt with black dye and red letters saying, "Luck Has Nothing To Do With Awesomeness," while Kenja adorned a more humble wear of t-shirt and jeans, and Zaii in his standard Gi attire. "Not a chance!" Kenja goaded with a fierce fire behind his slightly glazed eyes, pounding his mug onto the counter insistantly as he thumbed his own muscular chest, "as a Fullbringer, I've got plenty of stamina to contend with you lot. Keep it comin', scar face!" "Scars make men sexy! I don't see any scars on yer mugly-hic-ugly mug!" Shito hiccupped as he slurred his words incorrectly, pointing his mug towards him while his free hand pointed at the bar instead of his intended victim. A loud series of chugs could be heard to Kenja's left, as Zaii kept drinking, a giddy smile on his face but looking nowhere close to finishing. A pile of empty bottles scattered across his stool's feet, while others were almost empty in front of him. By far he looked to be closer in the lead than the other two, as he was too distracted by the pleasant buzz of the various mixed alcoholic drinks he's ingested and has yet to drink. Likewise, Anton had remained competitively silent. The only sounds he made were produced from his drinks as he relentlessly chugged one down after another. The moment he downed one bottle was the moment he slammed it on the table, snatched up another one and began the process all over again. He was only a little ways ahead of the bememoth swordsman, but his side showed one thing in particular; although he had a flush on his face, he appeared to be the most sober out of the group. He had done this many times with Alpha Team, and this time was no different. The Punisher simply gave a smirk over to her daughter, holding the shaft of her wine glass tentatively within her fingers. "Oh, don't be such a pussy, Sayū." She teased. "This is a chance to relax, enjoy the time we've been given. With everything that's happened, I can tell you guys needed it." She took another swig of the contents inside. "'Sides, it's gonna take a lot more than this to get me wasted. Or did you already forget who I am?" "I haven't forgotten," The Hankami said with a roll of her eyes, "how can I not when your blood is part of me as is my father's? But I fail to see how your deified persona gives you rights to abuse it for the sake of becoming incapable of undergoing the process of intoxication. It just seems childish..." "I'm a sluuuuuuug," Hyōryū drawled out as she dragged herself in a worm-like fashion, completely wasted from her own drinkage of alcoholic beverages. Her face was more flushed red than a tomatoe, and her eyes were almost closed with a vacant expression crossing over their glossy lenses. Wheezing giggles were let out as she kept inching across the ground, finding her stupor-ridden journey humorous to her boggled mind. "...why is everyone acting completely idiotic or drunk right now?" Mōka asked in a perturbed, if not exasperated manner as she swerved her head around and waved her arms up with frustration. "I don't know," Oliver, who had taken an interest to "slug" Hyōryū, whipped out a camera and aimed it towards the drunken gun woman to record her. His face was one of absolute glee. "But I'll be damned if I don't take advantage of this while I can! Ey, Sis! Keep doing that around each and every table!" "As far as the likes of V-14 is concerned, this is nothing new." Another voice - Shinji's voice - came from behind the Hankami. His figure approached with arms folded across the chest and an impassive expression directed towards the chaos unfolding all around them. He kept this pose until he reached the table, sliding into a chair with the grace of a noble. "Most of the members are unable to handle high levels of alcohol, with the exception of Alpha Team." He explained. "At least, that's what I've heard from Yoshizawa. Some are rather intolerable," He passed a slight glare over towards Hyōryū. "As you can plainly see. But at the very least, others--" "Weee~!" He was briefly cut off when he felt slender and feminine arms grasp him in a hug from behind, courtesy of Rika. "--are quite easily bearable." He finished, his formal and stiff tone softening a little. "Hey, Shinji-kun~!" Rika slurred happilly, nuzzling into the Mod Soul's neck like a kitten. "Did I ever tell you how much of a friend you are? You're the best pal I've ever had as a teammate, and that's barring Yusuke-kun! The rest of them don't seem to like me because I can't fight back like they can, but not you~!" Her barrage of compliments earned her a humorously awkward pat on the head. "I... appreciate your company, Nakamura." "Aren't we having a splendid time in here?" Another voice, foreign in terms of current company yet familiar in memory, came to their ears. It was Qilin, with his hands in his pockets and a mirthful grin sported on his face. But he wasn't alone; on his shoulders sat a young girl with hands placed on his head in a manner not too dissimilar from a drum. She was sporting an even brighter smile than he was, lightly tapping away at his crown and giggling to herself occasionally. The V-14 had yet to know it, but the girl he was carting around was his daughter Michiko. They also wouldn't know what other person he had blood connections to until she stepped into the room, suddenly finding the floor more visually appealing than the ones in the room with her. It was Shikyo Ninaru, 4th Horseman of the disabled Inner Circle. There was a sudden tension flaring up in the air for those who were conscious and sober enough to notice the Horsemen. Most of those continuing their antics paid no heed to the new arrivals, just carrying on with their idiocy and comedic routines as usual. But for the Hankami Leader of the Mercenary force, Mōka certainly gravitated her eyes upon the pair and the Horseman in particular. "Well-Well," Mōka announced, causing all those aware to truly cast their eyes upon the entering three, unbeknownst to them the family of three, "if it isn't the redeemed Captain of 7th Division and the Horseman of the Inner Circle. What exactly brings you two ambiguously paroled people like you to our base of operations?" From the table in the shadows, Shinshin cast a cool glance at the man in question called 'Qilin'. He knew who it was. Tsubasa, the Spirit Smith. Formally contracted by the Inner Circle both as a spy and as their weapons craftsman, he knew him for his art long before he knew of his connections to the infamous Mercenary Force that aimed to subjugate the world as they knew it. For some reason he couldn't help but wonder...what his true aims in visiting them were? "Shinshin," Shadō said in a graveled voice, his golden eyes burning underneath the overcasting silhouette of his wide hat, "should things get problematic, we should step in. And we shouldn't be gentle this time." "Let's just see how this plays out," Shinshin said in a cautious tone, his eyes keeping track of the trio as they entered the dining bar they all were occupying at once. "I'd like to think bringing a child here means they don't mean harm. Especially one as precious as that." There was a somewhat irate tone within Mōka's words that made Qilin cock an eyebrow and Michiko look up curiously. "Not what I was expecting for a greeting, Komori-san." He commented lightly, his smile lessening to a more contained degree. "And I thought the Gotei 13 and your organization hit it off so well at first. What, did you start to miss us as an enemy?" "This was a bad idea." Shikyo muttered, one arm folded across the chest and the tip of her other thumb clenched between her teeth. Her gaze was averted away from her husband, directed towards the subtle glare of a distant Angelika. The German in question was leaning against a nearby wall with her arms folded, retaining an idle and casual air about herself. "What makes you say that?" Qilin asked, turning an inquiring gaze over to her. "Why do you think?" Shikyo hissed back. "Oh, c'mon, dear, you need to lighten up." As if the whole thing was a big joke to him, the Spiritsmith rolled his eyes and took his gaze off of her. "They just need to get used to your company, that's all. Don't let a few glares here and there get you down." He turned his gaze towards his daughter. "Hey, Michiko. Daddy needs to settle a few things with the adults. Why don't you run along and play for a minute?" "Okay~!" Michiko brightened up, quickly hopping off of his shoulders and towards a bemused Yusuke. "Hey, you! I wanna play!" "Didn't your parents ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" "Silly! Some strangers are friends you haven't met yet!" "...oh my gosh, that's a very good point! C'mon, let's go mess with the jukebox!" As Michiko made off with her new playmate, Qilin set his sights on who was known as the "bonifide samurai" of V-14. "Hey, you!" He called out, casually walking towards the man with his hands planted on his hips. "Shinshin, was it? I'd like to toss a few words back and forth with you, if you don't mind..." The called out disciple of Asuka furrowed his brows with perplexion. Whatever business he had wished to have with the man had escaped him, though the sounds of battle and the ardor that followed was a reasonable excuse. Considering his jovial attitude he decided against approaching the man with a hostile manner and would give him the respect he desired. "I'll return shortly," He said to his Ikiryō associate, leaving him to glare after him as he walked towards Qilin. Upon approaching, Mōka averted her gaze from the horseman, downing another gulp of brandy down her throat. Her eyes glared at the table, hating that her already sullen mood had to become even more sour with the arrival of unwanted guests. She knew that they should have locked the doors so no one could simply walk right in. "The pains in the ass with being a Walk-In Legal Guild," Mōka thought with a visible snarl overlapping her beautiful visage. Reaching him, Shinshin bowed politely before the Spiritsmith, and folded his arms within the folds of his kimono's sleeves. His cool eyes stared curiously at Tsubasa's, as he inquired pointedly, "You wish to discuss something, Spiritsmith?" "More than one thing, at least." The Captain answered, giving a light shrug of the shoulders. "And the first would be exactly that." He folded his arms behind his back, his smile fading into an expression of curiosity. "I was pretty sure I had covered each and every one of my bases before I went into the whole "alias" thing. No one suspected me of my other identity for quite some time, and the only slip-up I thought of making was where Meikurai's judgement had been decided. Yet even before that, you managed to find my identity right away. I tried not to give any hints or left behinds, and yet," He briefly pulled out a hand and lightly slapped his own chest before returning it behind his back. "Bam! You point me out and ask me if I can fix your blade on the spot. Not exactly the most subtle of ways to do it, but impressive nonetheless. I must ask you." He tilted his head to the side, cocking an eyebrow. "How did you do it?" "Observation and experience," Shinshin responded coolly, "I've met many who've attempted to mimic the art you've mastered. It is how I learned to craft my own weapons, among them being Kakushin. Prolonged dabbling in the art of spiritual metallurgy gives you callouses similar yet strikingly different than a swordsman's. Each callous resonates a trace of spiritual fabric of each weapon they've crafted, culminating into the sign of occasional yet rarely visible glowing scars upon the blacksmith's hands. Though I did not know of your allegiances or whom your customers were, I knew you by reputation and by the signs your hands showed me. I know not another who could figure this out, so I insisted that I seek your aid...at the time, of course." "And now?" Tsubasa questioned further. "Is Kakushin still in pieces as you had first shown it to me?" Without delay, Shinshin produced the sword, scabbard separated from the bandage wrapped blade. Broken into two jagged pieces, the man held it reverantly before his eyes. After breaking contact with the blade, he gingerly handed it to Qilin, hoping that the weapon could be restored once in his possession. "This is Kakushin," Shinshin said as he presented the elegant black sheathe and hilt of the broken bladed weapon, "can you fix it?" It seemed that Tsubasa understood just how much this blade meant to Shinshin. He reached out and took the creation from its owner's hands as if he was handling a baby, taking a few steps back to examine. For what seemed like eternity but was in fact only seconds, he did nothing but remain silent and analyze the blade. After the time had passed, he allowed himself to speak. "Broken into two pieces, courtesy of a precise sword slash. Yes, whoever delivered this particular blow must've been quite the swordsman. I can only wonder what kind of blade was he or she using against something like this..." He briefly closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head as if denying the ability to repair it. But his next words would dissolve that idea. "I don't know..." In opening his eyes, he lifted an eyebrow at the samurai. "Do you want me to fix it?" "Want to?" Shinshin blinked with confusion at this thought. Of course he wanted to fix this sword. It was the first and only real competent blade he had since his discipleship by his mother. Not even after parting with her did he move it more than an arm's length away. Even when he grafted the hidden swords into his arms and took up arts of using other weaponry, he'd always keep it at his side. Was it his dependency on having something protecting him that he wished to have it restored? No, he managed without it this far, all without using it. Was it time to let the weapon go? His gaze drifted towards the masterfully crafted weapon. It had been kept close at his side and had been his sole companion where he had none. Whether it was to protect, intimidate or kill, the sword was a truly effective tool to accomplish his tasks. Without it and the weapons that had been embedded within his arms, he had become a lost warrior with no weapon to call his own. But, did it have to be this sword? It was then that he realized just precisely who he was talking to. Looking up, Shinshin bowed humbly as he spoke in a louder tone than he was accustomed to, "Good Spiritsmith! I beg your pardon as I ask a great task from you without any prior knowledge that I'd do so or provocation that you can. I wish for you to restore that sword back to its former greatness, if it is within your ability. If so, then please craft me a sword to match it, so that I can wield the past that I've lived through and harness the power of the future this new weapon will grant me!" It was here that Tsubasa blanched a little, surprised by the sudden display. "Oh, no no no no no~! That's not what I meant!" He said quickly, waving his hands in front of him as best as he could the sword in their grasp. His panic lasted only a short moment before he recomposed himself. "I meant, do you want me to fix it... or do you want something more made out of this?" He held it up to his view again, studying it for a moment more. "I mean, something like this clearly serves as a companion and an extension of yourself. It should be more than an ordinary blade swung around like a simple weapon. Every movement should convey the extent of your resolve, your strength and just how far you are willing to go to topple your foe. You created it, and it should evolve as you do." He met Shinshin's eyes with an even stare. "All I'll need is a few days. If you want it, I can take this blade and shape it to one of the best forces to have stayed by your side. What do you say?" A grin slowly crawled up his face. "Do you want it fixed, or do you want it... made whole?" The End is the Beginning "...magnificent." A middle aged man with spiked up white hair spoke to himself idly, standing in the middle of a balcony within what appeared to be a colossal, military-grade warehouse. It's dark, bleak grey interior was illuminated only by the various glowing blue lights generated from the great amount of near-futuristic level technology. Vehicles, computers, weaponry, and dozens upon dozens of individuals scattered about the area doing work on all of them. It appeared to be the gathering of a fairly small army, but a very advanced and powerful one at that. "Truly, our father did not leave us entirely devoid of inheritance." the man continued to speak, his hands folded behind his back as he turned around to face roughly twelve-dozen men and women. They were all standing at attention, wearing skin-tight black jumpsuits, the kind one might wear for experimentation. "In his rise to power, mere years before his passing, he used the modern age's influence to grant us these magnificent wonders of technology." he went on, calmly pacing back and forth in front of the individuals. "In the old days, we would rely on primitive means of combat, amplified only by the gift that he gave each and every one of us: the power to bend the Spiritual matter around us and use it to our advantage. Swords... hammers... and, pfft, even bows and arrows." he continued as he began to walk towards a rather large stasis tank containing a bluish-silver liquid and what appeared to be a human-shaped silhouette inside of it. "But now... now we have come to use what was meant to be employed in our conquest of the Soul Society, what will be the basis for our new ambitions." he held his hand out towards the tank, which slowly began to open. The liquid inside of the tank began to sink, presumably into filters in the tank's bottom so that it would not spill out onto the floor below, and the glass door opened up with a fairly loud hiss. The human figure inside was rather tall, standing at least a foot higher than the average full grown man, with spikey, shoulder length white hair, and wearing the same black jumpsuit as the rest of the supposed volunteers. However, is most noticeable feature was his right arm, which was entirely cybernetic. "With this technology at our disposal, we will push the human body past it's limits, and into a realm that humanity could not previously have imagined, and with the power of Reishi at our hands... there will not be a force on earth, or in the hereafter that will stop us." the elder man continued as the white haired man looked over at the volunteers briefly before turning to look over the balcony, and gripping the guardrails with his hands. The speaker then calmly walked over to the man's left side, placing a hand confidently on his shoulder. "And you... you will be the new voice of our people." The man with the robot arm did not look back at him, but rather, glared menacingly down at all of the things happening below him. Their numbers now were in the two to three hundreds, and the technology that was at their disposal was unlike anything that they had previously seen before. The man did not seem angry at all of this, but rather, at something else entirely, but whatever it could be would only be known to him. He spoke in a low, ominous tone, continuing to glare down at the various workmen below. "... I will be more than that." END